New Ulm Brewing wins lawsuit

NEW ULM The New Ulm Brewing & Beverage Company, which makes 1919 Root Beer for the August Schell Brewing Company, has won its trademark infringement lawsuit against Oklahoma-based microbrewery Krebs Brewing Company. The New Ulm company, which has been making the root beer for 25 years, filed the lawsuit over the use of the 1919 logo with similar font and layout on Kreb Brewing’s American Pale Wheat Ale beer. The lawsuit argued the other company would unfairly gain by copying New Ulm Brewing’s logo and would confuse customers about which product they are buying. New Ulm Brewing and Krebs Brewing could not be reached for comment on the case.

Krebs Brewing will have to pay New Ulm Brewing approximately $1,500 in damages and legal costs. Krebs will still be allowed to use the phrase “since 1919” on its product, but it will not be allowed to use it current logo designs and label of “1919”. Krebs Brewing recently announced it will be putting a new logo on its beer, returning to its original company name of Choc beer. The new label will start appearing on products around late March or early April.